JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #81 - May/June 2013 - 41

raw materials
On-site installation

and bond Engineering will use this
method together with materials provided by Mitsubishi Plastics Infratec and
Konishi.
The need for methods to reinforce buildings with insufficient quake resistance
is expected to grow further in response
to earthquake disasters. The partners
will work for widespread dissemination
of the CFrP anchoring method, which
protects precious lives and property from
disasters and thus contributes to the
creation of a safe and secure society. n

energy

More information:
www.mpi.co.jp/english/

FRP Solar Panel Mounting
Frames/Bases

Newly developed thermoplastic epoxy resin and
continuous fiber-reinforced
composites
Nagase ChemteX Corporation,
New Material Development Office,
Research & Development Department,
Hirofumi Nishida

The research & development department of Nagase ChemteX Corporation
has been investigating an in-situ polymerizable thermoplastic epoxy resin, a
liquid epoxy resin mixture in the initial
state that can be allowed to polymerize
linearly by heating to produce a thermoplastic resin. This resin is very useful in
the production of thermoplastic composites reinforced with continuous fibres at
More information:
www.nagasechemtex.co.jp/
high volume contents because the liquid
en/index.html
resin mixture can easily soak into dense
reinforcing
fibre fabrics. After
impregnation,
the resin
mixture
can rapidly
polymerize
and be
converted The results suggested that such thermoplastic composites are suitable for automotive applicainto a non- tions such as impact energy absorbers
as compared to metals, and is ideal in
areas where salt damage is a concern.

AGC Matex Corporation

AgC Matex has developed new FrP
solar panel mounting frames and
bases for the solar panel sector.
Properties of FrP Solar Panel Mounting Frames/bases
1. Light-weight
FrP is light, only a quarter the weight
of iron. Installation is easy even in
narrow areas and rooftops.
2.Corrosion resistance
FrP has a high corrosion resistance

crosslinked polymer.
The dominant features of this resin
include excellent toughness, in-situ
polymerizability, thermoformability
and recyclability. during the fracture
toughness test for the polymer, the insitu polymerizable thermoplastic epoxy
resin achieved a K1c value of approximately 2.0 while a typical cross-linked
epoxy resin showed less than 1.0. The
Izod impact test revealed that this resin
is tougher than even polycarbonate,
which is known to be one of the toughest
thermoplastic resins. The impact energy
absorption and interlayer shear strength
of thermoplastic composites using this
resin as a matrix were also evaluated. n

3. Strength
FrP is stronger than other general
plastics, and can be used safely in
structural frames.
4. Weather resistance
due to their fluorine surface coating,
these FrP products
show high weather
resistance and can be
installed in various
environments.

The company also offers FrP bases
that can be installed on rooftops with
minimal structural load. n
More information
www.agm.co.jp/ENG/

Solar panel mounting frames (Miyazaki Solar Way) and FRP solar panel base

No81 May - June 2013 /

jec composites magazine 41

http://www.nagasechemtex.co.jp/en/index.html http://www.mpi.co.jp/english/ http://www.agm.co.jp/ENG/

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #81 - May/June 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #81 - May/June 2013